Latter-day Saints across West Africa join annual All-Africa service project with cleanups, health and school drives

Thousands of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the Africa West Area set aside time and resources in the last two weeks of August to take part in the annual All-Africa Service Project, according to the Church News. Stakes, wards and branches in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Nigeria, The Gambia and Togo joined the area-wide effort, which the Church’s Africa Newsroom reported.

In Bamako, Mali, members of the Bamako Branch gathered at the Niamakoro Community Health Care Center to clean the hospital yard and donate sanitation supplies. The center’s director said, “We are grateful for this generous support and timely intervention. This effort has not only improved our environment but uplifted our spirits.”

In Nigeria, the work centered on health. In Port Harcourt, stakes provided medical equipment to a local health center, and the Port Harcourt Nigeria West Stake hosted a free medical eye clinic. Community member Augustin Eze said, “The project is good. My [blood pressure] and other vitals were tested. It will help to maintain my health and my eyesight.” In Calabar, municipal leader Okokon Mkpanam praised volunteers who cleaned a health center, saying he would report the work to the chairman of the local government.

Other Nigerian stakes focused on students and public safety. The Port Harcourt Nigeria South Stake distributed 300 school books and more than 50 uniforms to primary school students and painted a 250-meter zebra crossing on a busy road to improve pedestrian safety. In Calabar, the Akamkpa Nigeria Stake cleaned university hostels and donated needed goods. Hostel president Igbolo John David said, “The Book of Mormon, packs of noodles, detergent and toiletries really made them feel loved.”

In Côte d’Ivoire, approximately 4,000 members contributed more than 14,000 hours through blood donations, large-scale cleanups and support for orphanages. In The Gambia, Latter-day Saints partnered with the Kanifing Municipal Council on a major cleanup, and local officials noted the Church’s ongoing commitment to environmental improvement and community collaboration.

In Togo, a passerby who was impressed by volunteers from the Lomé Togo Agoe Stake stopped to buy water for everyone during a cleanup. Loccadie Vignihoede Devo of the Agoe Nyive Ward said, “We are happy now. When we arrived, this place was not pleasant. … We have followed the Lord’s example by serving the community.” Bishop Bruno Mawouena Sokel of the Apedokoe Ward cited the teachings of King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon, that when members serve their fellow men they serve God (see Mosiah 2:17). Several Togolese stakes also organized blood drives to help meet urgent shortages, including one at the National Blood Transfusion Center in Lomé. Tete Sena Yao, head of blood donation promotion at the center, said, “We want to thank The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Togo for its ongoing partnership.”

In collaboration with the environmental association ERD Afrique, Latter-day Saints in Togo cleared roughly 20 bags of plastic waste from a beach to safeguard nesting habitat, then helped release about 60 baby sea turtles into the ocean. Hussunukpe Kossi Mawuli of the association said, “This experience will forever shape the future of these children, who are learning the importance of protecting the environment at a very young age.” Lomé Togo Stake President Kouegan Anani said the group had learned about the need to protect sea turtles because of their role in the ecosystem, and that members were acting on the request of Church leaders to devote the day to community service.

Calabar Nigeria Etta Agbo Stake President Godwin Oyigoja Oboh summarized the wider purpose of the effort: “We wanted to show our love for our neighbors as the Savior taught. The objective of the service project was achieved as members and nonmembers turned out in their numbers.”

Source: Read the original report